CORAL GABLES CHARRETTE: TRANSPORTATION

Boulevard A boulevard provides mobility for pedestrians and for higher speed and longer range motor vehi- cle trips. Design speeds are set at 30 mph with 25 mph at high pedestrian usage locations. Under this classification, Ponce De Leon Boulevard will remain at 30 mph except for 25 mph through the Downtown section.

Avenue Avenues are wider, more civic-oriented thoroughfares, generally shorter than boulevards. Their purpose is to serve pedestrian movement, and in a secondary role, motor vehicles traveling medi- um distances. Miracle Mile, Alhambra Circle and Alhambra Plaza perform as avenues within Coral Gables. The desired quality of pedestrian service calls for 25 mph design speed. Traffic capacity will be maximized at this speed level through traffic signal design and adequate lane width.

Street Streets form most of the thoroughfare structure in walkable communities. Appropriate design speeds and adequate sidewalks are essential elements for pedestrian comfort. Vehicle design speeds vary: 20 mph and 9-foot lane widths for the highest priority walkable streets, 25 mph and 10-foot widths for moderate walkability, and 30 mph, 11-foot widths for those with the least important pedestrian flows.

Alley Alleys at the rear of buildings allow servicing that would otherwise obstruct sidewalks and dis- place pedestrians. Occasionally, pedestrians use alleys as shortcuts between streets. Standard 20- foot widths are sufficient for alleys. At street intersections, alleys should not interrupt sidewalk continuity or elevations.

Passage The passage is a primarily pedestrian connection between thoroughfares, often at mid-block loca- tions. Passages range in width and should have sufficient aesthetic quality and monitoring from storefronts to encourage their use by pedestrians.